diff --git a/studio/backend/colab.py b/studio/backend/colab.py
index 885bb3961a..19bdc2a2d8 100644
--- a/studio/backend/colab.py
+++ b/studio/backend/colab.py
@@ -29,14 +29,31 @@ def _pip_install_backend_deps() -> None:
 
     Used on Colab when the Studio venv does not exist (install.sh was not
     run).  Reads the requirements from studio.txt next to this file.
+
+    Strict ``==`` version pins are relaxed to ``>=`` so we do not clobber
+    Colab's pre-installed packages (e.g. huggingface-hub, datasets) with
+    versions that are incompatible with its bundled transformers.
     """
+    import re
     import subprocess
     req_file = Path(__file__).parent / "requirements" / "studio.txt"
     if not req_file.exists():
         return
+
+    packages = []
+    for line in req_file.read_text().splitlines():
+        line = line.strip()
+        if not line or line.startswith("#"):
+            continue
+        # Relax exact pins (==) to >= so pip keeps existing compatible versions
+        line = re.sub(r"==", ">=", line)
+        packages.append(line)
+
+    if not packages:
+        return
     print("Installing Studio backend dependencies ...")
     subprocess.check_call(
-        [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", "-q", "-r", str(req_file)],
+        [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", "-q"] + packages,
     )
 
 
diff --git a/studio/install_python_stack.py b/studio/install_python_stack.py
index 39fec2e6f5..603ac162c9 100644
--- a/studio/install_python_stack.py
+++ b/studio/install_python_stack.py
@@ -373,10 +373,25 @@ def install_python_stack() -> int:
             ],
         )
     else:
-        run(
-            "Upgrading pip",
-            [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", "--upgrade", "pip"],
-        )
+        # pip may not exist yet (uv-created venvs omit it). Try ensurepip
+        # first, then upgrade. Only fall back to a direct upgrade when pip
+        # is already present.
+        _has_pip = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "--version"],
+            stdout = subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            stderr = subprocess.DEVNULL,
+        ).returncode == 0
+
+        if not _has_pip:
+            run(
+                "Bootstrapping pip via ensurepip",
+                [sys.executable, "-m", "ensurepip", "--upgrade"],
+            )
+        else:
+            run(
+                "Upgrading pip",
+                [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", "--upgrade", "pip"],
+            )
 
     # 3. Core packages: unsloth-zoo + unsloth (or custom package name)
     if skip_base:
diff --git a/studio/setup.sh b/studio/setup.sh
index dd758e49e8..682b5cb01a 100755
--- a/studio/setup.sh
+++ b/studio/setup.sh
@@ -295,9 +295,12 @@ VENV_T5_DIR="$STUDIO_HOME/.venv_t5"
 _COLAB_NO_VENV=false
 if [ ! -x "$VENV_DIR/bin/python" ]; then
     if [ "$IS_COLAB" = true ]; then
-        # On Colab there is no Studio venv -- install backend deps into system Python
+        # On Colab there is no Studio venv -- install backend deps into system Python.
+        # Relax strict == pins to >= so we don't clobber Colab's pre-installed
+        # packages (huggingface-hub, datasets) with incompatible versions.
         echo "   Colab detected, installing Studio backend dependencies..."
-        pip install -q -r "$SCRIPT_DIR/backend/requirements/studio.txt" 2>/dev/null || true
+        sed 's/==/>=/' "$SCRIPT_DIR/backend/requirements/studio.txt" \
+            | pip install -q -r /dev/stdin 2>/dev/null || true
         _COLAB_NO_VENV=true
     else
         echo "❌ ERROR: Virtual environment not found at $VENV_DIR"